When interaction opportunities are more time sensitive and less frequent, and
the interruptions caused by notifications are limited (for example, relies on email notifications rather than pop-up alerts)

When is a push model most appropriate?

- Users will find less opportunities that they want to engage with if the group's scope is too ambiguous, though a small amount of ambiguity is beneficial as users can have a role in shaping the community 
- A group centered around multiple independent topics should have a bridging activity that unites the independent interests
- Personalizing users' collections increases the odds that they’ll engage with the content (the downside is less content is shared between everyone)
- Start off with one space for all users and subdivide once you have enough content for each separate space (inactive spaces are unhelpful)
- Ensure that users are directed to the most active spaces using navigation aids
-  Use a recommendation system to direct users to spaces that are the most relevant to their interests

Using a pull model successfully

- Push model: uses push alerts, like emails, to tell members about group activities or information that may interest them
- Pull model: operates like Facebook, members visit the community themselves to see new activity

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

The constituents of a community and how its formed

Community structure within online communities

Kraut, Robert E., and Paul Resnick. Building successful online communities: Evidence-based social design. MIT Press, 2012.

Building successful online communities: Evidence-based social design (Kraut and Resnick)

- The size of the community

- Degree of homogeneity of its members' interests

- Are their subgroups?

- Is membership recruited through existing social ties

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Related

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